Sacrifice
by Shoujo's Revenge
Summary: In exchange for Anzu's life, mou hitori no Yuugi will have to sacrifice his own soul. Will Yugi and his friends be able to find some other way to resurrect Anzu? Anzu x Yami Yugi
1. Aine

Title: Sacrifice

Summary: In exchange for Anzu's life, mou hitori no Yuugi will have to sacrifice his own soul. Can Yugi and his friends find some other way to resurrect Anzu or what if there is no alternate solution? Anzu x Other Yugi

Disclaimer: Kazuki Takahashi owns the Yu-Gi-Oh series.

A/N: I know that this might resemble Clamp's _Tsubasa/xxxHolic_, I assure you that it's different. For one thing, this story will end within 3 or 4 chapters. If you wanted a happy story, you have come to the wrong story.

Chapter 1: Aine

_Are you hungry, dear Selene? _Aine mentally communicated to the pure white cat sitting on a deep red cushion. The lazy but majestic cat licked the front of one of her paws and meowed a reply which her mistress understood clearly while normal humans couldn't.

_No, Mistress. I have already been fed. There was a particularly juicy rat under the kitchen counter. _The pale young woman nodded, her fingers kneading the space between her eyes, her lips were completely white. Her long hair resembling the color of blood covered her face as she almost keeled over but held herself up by grabbing onto the edge of the kitchen table. Selene who had noticed this sat up immediately. _Can Mistress not stand human food? Shall I fetch someone to tend to Mistress?_

_It's been years and years since I have fed on a powerful soul. These human souls I have been feeding on...They're all tainted. I need souls with plenty of power to satisfy my hunger. _Selene pawed the side of Aine's face to push her hair back. Every inch of her was completely shaking.

_I don't know what to do, Mistress. _The loyal cat said with concern. _Is there no such human food that can satisfy your hunger for the time being? I cannot possibly attain a powerful soul anytime soon._

_No, what I need is...is a powerful soul like his..._Her pupil enlargened to see a chestnut-haired girl lying perfectly still, her baby blue blanket covered all the way to her neck. Her chest remained quite still, not heaving up and down silently like all human beings. Her face looked peaceful with its closed eyelids and pallid lips. If Aine didn't know better, she would've thought this Anzu Mazaki girl was sleeping blissfully. She knew the difference between a dead human and a live human. "What I need is your soul, Pharaoh Atemu." Selene seemed to meow in protest.

_But Mistress, if your body is this weak, you wouldn't be able to retrieve the ancient king's soul._

_Have you forgotten how I obtain my souls, Selene?_

The cat was taken aback. _Desperate humans seek for your help. You only help them if they promised to let you devour their souls._

_Precisely. It is not necessary for me to take it by force. The forgotten King shall come for my help. _The cat's blue eyes scrutinized Aine whose green eyes shone with delight. It was a while before she spoke again.

_Mistress, do you think it wise to do this? Knowing of your past, I advise you to look elsewhere. This ancient King, the nameless Pharaoh, whose name only you know. He was not the one who...? _Selene was not sure whether she should continue or not. Aine didn't make a grunt of displeasure or looked annoyed in the least bit, just sickly so the cautious cat continued. _I do not want Mistress to be hurt again. _

_Dear Selene...you are speaking of him as if he was my lover. _Aine said calmly. _If you are talking about my- _She stopped only to laugh scornfully. _How ludicrous of me. 'Mine'. This person was never mine. I had so much abilities that could be done without the aid of a Millennium Item yet the Pharaoh was warned about my plotting to get them. _The cat's features contorted angrily at the simple suggestion.

_Mistress wanting to get the Millennium Item? H-how utterly ridiculous! Why the power of the combined Millennium Items couldn't beat your power. If Mistress wanted control of the world, she would've already eaten the souls of half the world by now. _Selene was positively indignant on Aine's part but the latter seemed amused for one second. Her face changed from sickly to mere amusement to an impassive expression.

Her voice was equally as calm as she spoke aloud. "Most of them have probably reincarnated into present day mortals especially..."

_Mistress, _Selene meowed softly, nudging her with the side of her whiskered face. _Did you love-_

She immediately answered before the cat could finish her question. "I may look like them, I may dress like them, I may sound like them, I may eat their kind of food to fool them but I will never feel this emotion called love especially not towards a human." The intense dislike in her eyes at the mention of ever loving a human was burning in her eyes. It was so intense that the normally impassive Selene backed away from her.

_Yes, Mistress, I understand. _Aine pushed herself along the black walls to will her weak body out of the room. Selene watched the pathetic scene before her. She wished that she could somehow turn into a human to help her mistress. Only Aine had that power; the power to shape-shift into a human.

Her left foot shakingly ascended on the bottom stair. Her white fingers gripped the polished banister to support herself. Beads of sweat appeared on her marble skin. _If I don't satisfy my hunger soon, my human form will perish. _Her eyelids were even too tired to lift themselves.

* * *

She had already met this girl that rested so peacefully on her bed in her vision. 

"Hello," Aine said in English with perfect enunciation. She extended her hand towards Anzu, who was bewildered at the strange woman's appearance. She had on a polite smile on her face. The snow white cat resting on the woman's shoulder meowed as if greeting her. "You may call me Aine. This is my dear friend, Seline."

"H-hello," Anzu greeted in English with poor enunciation. The strange woman offered her hand. The girl was at a lost for what to do. She just stared at the stranger's foreign features, long hair the color of blood which fell to her hips. Her eyes were emerald green with large black pupils.

"Do you think my hands are dirty?" Her quietly unsettling voice broke into Anzu's thoughts.

"N-no! I'm sorry but do I know you?" Anzu asked bluntly. The smile, an almost knowing smile, didn't fade from Aine's face.

"No, I believe not but I do always like to meet my clients before I- No, I shouldn't ruin the surprise." Selene stared dully at Anzu with her blue eyes. She never did quite like humans. She just thought that this human girl was another of her Mistress' victims. She used her sandy tongue to lick at a spot of her already clean fur, waiting.

"Clients? Surprise?" Anzu asked with confusion. Without warning, Aine reached out with gracefully thin fingers and ran them through the frightened girl's hair. Her touch was ice cold.

"My, my, isn't your hair silky soft. It is almost like running my fingers across silk. The ancient king certainly has good taste in women." Anzu had to fight a blush from coming on. Furthermore, she was shaken by her unexpected knowledge. 'The ancient king' was most likely referred to mou hitori no Yugi. Could this woman be another enemy? "Not exactly," Aine said in response to Anzu's mental question. "In a way, I am more like an ally though he might think differently. He did, after all..." She had been looking away but swung her head back to face Anzu. _This girl is pure. If I wouldn't have to save her, her pure blood would've made an excellent addition to my wine collection. _She fought an urge to lick her lips at the thought of fresh blood. _Her blood would undoubtedly be delicious as well. _Selene calmly licked her front paw, watching her mistress' hungry eyes.

_Mistress, why won't you take this human's soul and blood and do as you wish with it?_

_Selene, I am not like that of a vampire who takes human blood with force nor am I a succubus who does the same with a soul. Besides, this girl is invaluable to me. _

_Mistress? _

_Let us go now._

"I apologize for scaring you, Anzu dear." Anzu, who had been so speechless finally found her voice again. She took her hand away.

"Uh, ah, wait!" Anzu cried out as Aine turned away from her. Only the cat turned around to hiss at the girl. _Do not bother my mistress, human girl._

"Hey, Anzu!" Jounouchi called to Anzu as he passed Aine. Shizuka walked beside her older brother with a blushing Honda behind her. Aine's smile widened when she caught Ryou's eye with her narrowed eyes.

_He looks so beautiful. So much like her...Beautiful on the outside and the inside with an equally pure soul and beautiful blood. _

_So beautiful that her soul was the color of the moon when it slid down Mistress' throat. _

Small hands clasped together as if in prayer as she knelt down in front of Aine, who was sitting on a dark red leather armchair. She had a bored expression on her turned away face. Her fingers were clasped around a crystal goblet full of pure blood. Her long hair draped on her arms, the back and the arms of the armchair. Selene sat on the hearth rug beside a grand fireplace.

"I'm begging you; please grant my wish. My only wish is that he never feels lonely. I'm all that he has and once I'm gone, he'll..." She couldn't finish the sentence. She had suddenly burst out in tears.

"You do not have to speak anymore. I already know everything. However, there is a heavy price. You have to willingly give me your blood and soul. You have to think carefully." Aine interrupted when the girl kneeling on the marble floor was about to open her mouth. "Your death is approaching soon. If-" She stood up, placing the goblet on a side table and looked out a French window. "you give up your soul, you will not be able to descend upon Hell or ascend to Heaven nor can you be reborn. Do you accept?" She asked impassively.

The girl with tears attached to her eyelashes, nodded. "Yes, I accept. You can do whatever you want with my soul and blood."

A smirk appeared on Aine's face as she strolled to the little girl's side. She lifted her face with a finger to meet her eyes. "You are a very selfish girl, aren't you? For all you know, you could've just sold your soul to the devil. You don't really care about what happens to your family, do you? I am a being with many powers, one of them able to grant any wish in exchange for their soul or blood or both. You could've wished for me to cure your disease. I think you are fully aware of this but you, yourself, just can't stand to be alive any longer, can you? Yes, there are many like you." She whispered, looking right into her eyes, into the very core of her soul. The little girl's eyes were downcast.

_Disgusting. _Selene said simply before returning to her cat nap.

"Very well. I shall grant your wish. I advise you to spend as much time as you can with him. Because you accepted my terms, this means your death will come earlier than expected." Before she opened her mouth to protest, Aine interrupted her again. "You should be grateful. I usually don't wait. I expect you know the way out." Selene got up from the rug and jumped into Aine's waiting arms.

"Bakura-kun!" Shizuka called to him, causing him to break eye content with Aine. "What's wrong?" Ryou looked around to find that Aine had disappeared.

* * *

The next morning, Anzu's mom opened the door to her room to find the girl still sleeping away. She crossed over to the window to raise the white curtains. The sunlight flooded half of the room shining on the teenage girl's immobile form. 

"Honestly, you're almost late for school. Don't you even care?" The older woman moved to the side of the bed, looking at her daughter's pallid face. "Anzu?" She touched her cheek which was ice cold. "ANZU? ANZU! Wake up!" She wrenched the blankets away from her body, violently shaking her shoulders. There was no response. "No! No!" She ran from the room. Her daughter's body was just a heap on the now messy bed.

Hundreds of miles from the Mazaki household, Aine sat up on her canopy bed, a closed smile on her lips. He shall come soon now that the body's been discovered.

A/N: I know this seems rushed but I didn't write so much background. I just wanted to introduce Aine and Selene in this chapter. If you want more chapters, you have to review.


	2. Frozen

Title: Sacrifice

Disclaimer: Kazuki Takahashi owns the Yu-Gi-Oh series.

A/N: Some of the parts in this chapter will confuse you so brace yourself.

Chapter 2: Frozen

Selene paced back and forth in front of Aine's armchair where her mistress lie with an arm draped over her eyes. Her hair draped over her shoulders, her other arm resting on the armrest. Sweat glistened on her smooth skin. The worried cat glanced back on her mistress once in a while then resumed her pacing. Aine's eyelids opened lazily, staring with empty eyes at the high ceiling. It was like looking through a kaleidoscope. Her breathing was labored. Closing her eyes again, Aine began to fall into a deep sleep in an attempt to ease her pain.

_Mistress? Mistress! _Selene jumped on the armrest, pawing gently at her mistress' cold hand. She licked the side of her face expecting a response but there was none. Her mistress sat still absorbed in dreams.

A thunderous knock made Selene jump into the air and land on her feet. She glared at the dark hallway, glancing back to look at her Mistress before slinking off to the front door.

"No, I don't want to remember!" Aine breathed heavily, shaking her head violently from side to side.

Once Selene reached the front door, she sat indignantly in front of it, glaring at the wooden door. She bared her claws. She didn't like it when anybody did any harm to her mistress. As far as she could tell, whoever was making this much noise was committing a serious offense.

"Calm down, Yugi!" Someone shouted from the other side of the door. She slowly retracted her claws, staring at the door.

_Yugi? The King of Games? Mistress is waiting for him! As she had predicted, he's outside this very door while she is indisposed. _The white cat began to pace again; one of her bad habits when worried. _What shall I do? _

The thunderous knocking continued causing the cat to wince. It sounded like a herd of stampeding elephants in her opinion.

"Is someone there?! Please! I need help!" A boy's crackling voice yelled from the other side. He sounded as if he had been crying. Selene's heart jolted at his desperate tone of voice. Normally, she could care if a human was dying right in front of her. She would've just jumped over the body and go on her merry way.

"Yugi, stop it! Your hands are bleeding!" A deeper voice said.

"I don't care! I'm not stopping until she opens the door! She's the only one who can help me! Only she can help me get Anzu back!" Yugi shouted.

"Meow!" Selene had poked her head out of the kitty flap. She looked up at the group of teenagers, all of whom looked down at her. "Meow." She said again. _Wait. _It was too bad they couldn't understand her. The boy with the bloody hands, she assumed, was this Yugi boy. A blonde and taller boy was carrying a limp female body. There were two other boys, one with pale skin and white hair, Selene definitely saw someone like him before and another with short brown hair. Before Yugi could respond, Selene went back inside.

"Wait! Come back, kitty!" Yugi cried, poking his head through the flap. He watched as the cat walked away into a dark hallway, disappearing right before his eyes. "Please, kitty! I need your help!" The cat didn't come back. Yugi was desperate. He tried to push his body through the little door. If the situation wasn't so dire, his friends would've laughed at the ridiculous sight of his wiggling butt.

Selene jumped on the kitchen table and used her paw to push the key off the hook. _I apologize, Mistress but if you don't obtain his soul soon, you might- _She didn't even want to finish the thought. She couldn't lose someone who meant so much to her. Selene bit one end of the key and ran to the front door. The sight of Yugi's head made her sigh in exasperation. _Can't these humans wait patiently? I already told you to wait, simpleton. _It was time like these when she wished humans could read her thoughts. She dropped the key on the floor in front of him.

He looked at the key then at the cat. "Good kitty!" He cried happily, about to reach out for her but she backed away. Human hands never touched her body nor will they ever be able to.

_Now open up the door before I change my mind. And another thing, my name is certainly not 'Kitty'. Now I better go check on Mistress. _With her tail up high, she raced back to the drawing room.

Yugi squirmed out of the door with the key in his hand. He wiped away his tears and inserted the key.

"Yugi, where did you get that?" Ryou asked.

"The cat gave it to me," Yugi said, without even considering how strange the answer sounded.

"This place gives me the creeps!" Jounouchi shivered involuntarily. Ryou and Honda had to agree. After all, Aine's humble abode was located in the center of a dozen of broken down houses, all of them vacant. There was nobody in sight except for them. They had to hop on a train for four hours just to get here.

"How can she live someplace like this?" Honda said, looking at the surroundings. The house of which they stood in front of was the only house that was kept up. It was a four story house with a polished wooden door. Inside of all the (spotless) windows were dark, the dark red curtains covering most of them. It had a brick chimney. The exterior of the house was painted white. A howl broke out from one of the closest vacant houses, sending chills up and down their spines. Jounouchi had almost dropped Anzu's body but Honda luckily caught her.

"Jounouchi!" Honda hissed.

"Wh-what was that!" Jounouchi looked around frantically. His shivering became so noticeable that even Anzu's body started to shake.

"Be careful, Jounouchi!" Ryou warned.

"Hurry up, Yugi!" Jounouchi asked, ignoring both Honda and Ryou. Yugi had a little trouble turning the key as the lock was very old. Finally, with the help of Honda and Jounouchi (who was only too anxious to go in), they managed to get the door open. "Wh-what if that was a werewolf?"

_Werewolves do not reside in rural Japan, idiot. _Selene came back to lead them to the sitting room. "Meow," she said to get their attention. They looked down at her expectantly and she jerked her head towards a dark hallway.

"I think it wants us to follow," Ryou said. The four of them crossed over the threshold, noticing a full-length mirror to their left. It was dusty and covered in cobwebs. A grandfather clock stood on the right of them as they walked further into the eerily quiet house. Jounouchi stopped in front of it due to curiosity. When the long hand and short hand pointed to the number twelve, the trapdoor beneath it opened to reveal a skull with a lit candle inside came out. Jounouchi screamed shrilly, holding Anzu tight against him and ran to his friends.

"No! I do not wish to remember!" Aine's arms flailed wildly, knocking over a goblet of blood.

Anzu blinked in confusion while looking around at her new surroundings. She put her hand directly over her heart. "Where am I?" Aine conjured up more purplish flames within her hands only to extinguish them to look at Anzu's astral body floating above her. She narrowed her eyes, lowering them to the ground.

"What is this girl doing in my memories?" She directed the calm question to the sandy ground. Sighing, she turned her back on her enemies. One of them thought that this was their chance to attack her. Priest Seto's monster almost plunged her with a sword. The sword went right the sand where she had been a few mere seconds. She had already taken flight towards the sun. Anzu, confused and afraid to be left alone, followed the gracefully flying black adorned woman. From the side of her face, she could see how much Aine was hurting.

"You shouldn't be here," Aine said calmly, wiping away the sweat from her brow. This newborn human body was supposed to be more powerful than her previous one. It was because of her emotional state. She had to overcome this.

The brown-haired girl didn't know what to say. After a few moments of silence, she opened her mouth again. "I saw you before. You're that woman who came up to me. Wh-where am I?" Aine didn't answer, peering at Anzu out of the corner of her eye. She didn't want Anzu to know they were in one of her memories. The piercing look Anzu received made her automatically quiet down.

_Why is she here? _Selene pawed gently at Aine's cold sweaty face. "Meow, meow," she said, licking her clenching fist. Yugi and his friends were currently sitting in the drawing room whilst Selene attempted to rouse Aine from her sleep.

"I must depart now," Aine told Anzu. "Selene is calling me." Her body started to dissolve into black sand.

"Wait!" Anzu called, gripping one of Aine's shoulders only to have sand dripping from her fingers.

"You are to remain here until I have struck a deal with your lover," Aine's voice echoed in the memory world.

"WHAT! Wait!"

"Selene," Aine whispered affectionately, opening her eyes. She smiled at her confidante who was patting the side of her face gently. The cat gave her something of a smile, too. She jumped on the floor.

_Mistress, the King of Games has arrived. He and his comrades are sitting in the drawing room. _

Aine waved a sweaty hand weakly into the air. Four crystal goblets floated into the air and into the drawing room, the direction that Aine pointed to. A bottle of apple cider accompanied the goblets. She gestured for Selene to follow; a way of telling her to tend to the guests. While Selene obeyed her Mistress, Aine's long and now tattered black dress burst into flames. They subsided within a second to show her new plain white dress with a white cameo around her neck. She wiped her sweaty brow with a flowing sleeve and strode out calmly to entertain her guests.

* * *

Aine considered the young man over her shoulder, her hands folded behind her back. Even though she knew it wasn't his fault, a feeling of hatred coursed through her body like uncontrollable fire. Her eyes almost reduced to slits at the sight of his confident aura. She then looked at the motionless body on the couch without a trace of emotion. Inside her spacious sleeve, her already pale hand turned whiter as she clenched and unclenched it. She was aware that she was Anzu Mazaki's only hope; aware that he'd probably agree to part with his soul for her but a part of her wanted more. Aine wanted him to suffer much more; the parting of his soul wouldn't be enough. The sorrow of his friends and undoubtedly, Anzu wouldn't be enough. Selene watched her Mistress with her bushy white tail in the air. She didn't even dare to take a breath. True, her Mistress, was slowly weakening because her hunger was unsatisfied but... 

_Mistress? _Aine abruptly put up a hand, confusing mou hitori no Yugi for a slight moment, not knowing it was meant for the cat. "Quiet, Selene." She said aloud. Black hair, she could imagine black hair flowing in the wind, the owner of it running away from her. Even if she reached out, she wouldn't be able to catch that person. For a brief moment, Aine could imagine Yugi reaching out for Anzu but she had already ran far away. The young woman hadn't turn back to look at him. Something inside of Aine jerked making her feel uncomfortable. "I will resurrect her." She said finally, turning around to face the short King of Games. "However," she added before a smile of relief broke onto his face. The group behind mou hitori no Yugi also held their breath. "in exchange for her life, you will give me your soul." His face remained unperturbed for a few seconds gazing straight into Aine's green eyes. He stopped to turn in Anzu's direction; she looked like a peaceful angel right now. Something in his eyes almost betrayed his calm demeanor; the shine sparkling in the corner of his eyes.

"Do you assent?" Aine broke the silence. It seems as though his friends were too shocked to say anything. Her hand hung in mid-air, waiting.

"Don't do it, Yugi!" Jounouchi shouted. "There has to be another way!"

"Yeah! Jounouchi's right!" Honda interjected. Aine turned in their direction with a mocking smile.

"Your friends are correct, ancient king. There _is_ another way," she said. His gaze immediately landed on her unwavering smile. "Yes..." Her voice floated in the room. Her eyes fell on the golden relics hung around the other Yugi's and Ryou's neck. "The mysterious Millennium items...If you were to possess all seven of them, you would be able to grant a wish. That wish could be to resurrect your dear friend, Anzu. You wouldn't have to sacrifice your own soul." She looked mou hitori no Yugi dead in the eyes. "That's not very likely though is it? You know perfectly well that certain wielders would not part with their items, don't you?" Her smile turned into a wicked smirk.

Jounouchi was about to say something when she swiftly pointed a finger to his mouth. "Hmm...mmm...mmm!" His eyes popped out while his fingers fumbled near his now stitched mouth.

"Jounouchi!" The other Yugi looked horrified at the sight. Ryou and Honda was trying to undo the stitches. Aine just stood there with her usual cool mask on, her hands folded in front of her.

"I find it rude of others to interrupt me while I am speaking." She said coolly. "You shouldn't try to undo my spell or your friend will be in further pain. It cannot be removed until I wish to. Now where was I? Ah yes." She took the opportunity to sit down on a chair opposite the other Yugi. Selene jumped on her lap and purred contently at Aine's stroking. "You can either choose me to resurrect this lovely young girl and sacrifice your soul or wait and possess all of the Millennium items to resurrect her. The choice seems to be so simple, doesn't it, ancient king?" Her eyes were closed while her hand was automatically petting Selene. "You could just gather all of the powerful relics and make a wish. It will be granted and yes, your friend will be alive once more. I know you already have your mind set on that solution. I have yet to tell you that if her soul does not return into her body within 48 hours, she will perish forever. Even someone with the magnitude of my powers would not be able to bring her back by then."

She grimaced. She could hear someone crying. Aine slipped back into the memory world again.

Anzu sat with her legs pressed against her chest. She sat crying on a large boulder with tears rolling down her cheeks. She didn't know what she was doing here in this place. She wanted to go back to school to be with her best friends. That woman just left her here all alone. Everywhere she had walked, she couldn't speak to one person that she encountered. They just looked past her and continued on their way, dying to get out of the boiling desert. Her body was cool even if she was sitting directly underneath the burning sun. Aine appeared beside the clueless Anzu.

"Crying will not help you escape from here," she said, surprising Anzu, who jumped. She sat down beside the girl. "Although, I am still at a lost at what you are doing here. It is true that your soul left your body but you should be stuck in your own neverending dream."

"What do you mean my soul left my body?!" Anzu stood up abruptly, alarmed. "You mean I'm dead?"

"In the human world, you are considered dead. Your body stopped breathing and your heartbeat stopped but you are merely stuck in a state between life and death. However, if your soul does not return in 48 hours, you will permanently die. Your soul then will be transferred to the Underworld where you will be judged."

More tears splashed on the front of Anzu's shirt. "I can't believe it." She whimpered. "How did this happen? I was perfectly fine yesterday and now I'm almost dead. Yugi...Everyone...Mou hitori no Yugi." She whispered the last part.

Anzu cried into her knees, hugging her legs. Aine was sweating underneath the bright sun when she shouldn't be. Her skin had always been unable to withstand the heat of the sun. So why was she so vulnerable now? Lifting an arm, her flowing sleeve shielded her face for the time being.

_This girl reminds me of someone. Loving a person who couldn't reciprocate her feelings. Humans really are foolish. _Aine could read Anzu's mind. She had loved the other Yugi for some time now. In the beginning, she thought he was her bestfriend, Yugi's alter-ego just to find out that he was actually a soul stuck in an ancient relic; a Pharaoh from three thousand years ago. It hit her hard when she realized that he would have to leave them someday. She succumbed to a bout of depression after finding this out. Anzu buried her feelings deep into her heart; not knowing that the act had damaged her. She had tried to feign happiness on the outside while she was hurting on the inside. Something in her snapped. That is why she was trapped; unable to wake up in the human world or not wanting to. Deep inside, Anzu knew this but the knowledge was beyond her reach. She wasn't the first human.

"You loved him, didn't you?" Her whisper was clearly audible.

"Yes," was Anzu's simple and quiet answer. For a few moments, Aine just listened to the brunette sob silently. Anzu was still huddled miserably beside her. When her sobs subsided, her head popped out of her arms, looking at the stranger beside her.

"Earlier…" She sniffled, turning to Aine. The latter was turned away, staring intently on the horizon. Anzu didn't have to say it; Aine had already guessed what she was going to say.

"I know of what you are going to ask; you want to ask whether the man who attacked me earlier was the past incarnation of a young man named Seto Kaiba. Yes, yes, he is." She said, disdainful. She grabbed a fistful of tiny rocks and burned them.

_"Monster! He's just a monster!"_ It was Priest Seto who had screamed those words. She was suddenly filled with rage. She stood up with her palms extended in the air. Dark flames shot out of them into the distance until they faded.

"Uh!" She lost her footing. Anzu stood up in time to support her arm.

"How come only you can see me and I can touch you but nothing else?" She asked Aine. The redhead didn't answer.

A/N: I had typed the second chapter already but was unsatisfied with it so I had to re-write it. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed a little bit of this chapter.


	3. Empty Heart

**Sacrifice** By Shoujo's Revenge

Disclaimer: Kazuki Takahashi owns the Yu-Gi-Oh series.

A/N: This first part will be confusing but keep on reading, things will make sense as you read along.

Chapter 3: Empty Heart

_This girl reminds me of someone. Loving a person who couldn't reciprocate her feelings. Humans really are foolish. _Aine could read Anzu's mind. She had loved the other Yugi for some time now. In the beginning, she thought he was her bestfriend, Yugi's alter-ego just to find out that he was actually a soul stuck in an ancient relic; a Pharaoh from three thousand years ago. It hit her hard when she realized that he would have to leave them someday. She succumbed to a bout of depression after finding this out. Anzu buried her feelings deep into her heart; not knowing that the act had damaged her. She had tried to feign happiness on the outside while she was hurting on the inside. Something in her snapped. That is why she was trapped; unable to wake up in the human world or not wanting to. Deep inside, Anzu knew this but the knowledge was beyond her reach. She wasn't the first human to do so.

"You loved him, didn't you?" Her whisper was clearly audible.

"Yes," was Anzu's simple and quiet answer. For a few moments, Aine just listened to the brunette sob silently. Anzu was still huddled miserably beside her. When her sobs subsided, her head popped out of her arms, looking at the stranger beside her.

"Earlier…" She sniffled, turning to Aine. The latter was turned away, staring intently at the horizon. Anzu didn't have to say it; Aine had already guessed what she was going to say.

"I know of what you are going to ask; you want to ask whether the man who attacked me earlier was the past incarnation of a young man named Seto Kaiba. Yes, yes, he is." She said, disdainful. She grabbed a fistful of tiny rocks and burned them.

_"Monster! He's just a monster!"_ It was Priest Seto who had screamed those words. She was suddenly filled with rage. She stood up with her palms extended in the air. Dark flames shot out of them into the distance until they faded.

"Uh!" She lost her footing. Anzu stood up in time to support her arm.

"How come only you can see me and I can touch you but nothing else?" She asked Aine.

"Have you ever had memories that you wanted to kill permanently so they could stop invading your mind, your sleep? Painful memories that'll haunt you no matter how much you try to push them to the back of your mind?" Aine breathed, panting.

"No..." Anzu said, setting her down. She knelt down beside Aine.

"All of these centuries of being alive..." Aine squeezed her eyes shut, feeling her heart beating rapidly underneath her pale hand. There wasn't supposed to be a heart there. She was not a human so why was there a living beating heart inside of her? "I still cannot forget about that person after all these years...Dear Anzu," she smiled, running her fingers through sand. Her smile was genuine, so pure.

"Yes?"

"What's it like to be mortal? Is it a great feeling knowing that you'll be released from this one day?" Aine'll never know the satisfaction. Aine's destiny as this being was to feed on souls and drink on blood granting the wishes of greedy and foolish humans. It was neverending. What was she? She wasn't even a she. Her being didn't even have a name. Not a human. Not a monster. Not a god. Not anything.

Anzu didn't know how to answer her question. She looked her full in the eyes and gasped. Aine was no longer there. Instead a pale beautiful man sat in her spot. The man lifted his hand and peered at the details of his hand. "It appears as though I've reverted to my first form." He stood up and looked down at the frightened girl. "My real name isn't Aine. In the beginning, I took the form of a man, the man you see before you. Aine is an identity I took on after I was betrayed by someone you know. As I do not function as a normal human, I had to shed my emotions for this woman so my body transfigured into a woman. Biting back my emotions, I traveled throughout the world in search for my sustenance which is souls. Unfortunately, your measly human souls aren't enough for me to function. Ther e are so much tarnished souls. I need a powerful pure soul. Your precious mou hitori no Yugi has that soul."

Did she hear right? "No," she gripped his white linen shirt. "No! You can't! Leave him alone! Please don't!" He took her hand gently. His fingers were shaking.

"I'm growing weaker every day yet this empty heart of mine still beats." He placed her hand over his chest. "I have a heart. A being like me shouldn't have a heart. You humans did this to me more specificially a servant of the Pharaoh's did this to me."

_"Enough." _Aine regained control of her body. "This is of no concern of yours."

"_It _is a concern of mine if you're planning to hurt the person I love the most! Can't you find your food from someone else? How about me? Is my soul pure enough for you?"

Aine's eyes widened. "Don't be silly, girl. Your soul is no good." She finally said, pushing her aside. She couldn't believe that this girl would give up her soul, her life just for him. She prepared to fade back to the real world, anticipating her meal. As her back turned on the distraught girl, Anzu jumped on her, knocking her down.

"Please turn down his request! I don't want to live anymore if it means he's gone! I'll stay dead, I'll stay dead..." Anzu sobbed, lying beside Aine.

_It's her fault._ Her heart was pounding to its breaking point. Was she possibly having a heart attack? _It's your fault. You cursed me with this heart. _The scenery around them became wavy.

He didn't know why he helped her. She was just a human, after all. He only helped those who offered him their soul. It was never out of the goodness of his non-existent heart yet for some reason, he just saved a human girl without a slight hesitation, without anything in return. Not believing his own generosity, the usually fearless soul-eater did not dare look at the girl residing in his arms. Instead, he just launched an attack on the monster that had tried to attack her. Even though, his arms were obviously full and he was inches away from a hundred foot monster roaring in his face, he didn't even bat an eye. He didn't usually do this but- The rogue looking man in front of him burst into black flames and disappeared with an agonized scream. The monster immediately faded away into the air. He looked down to find that the girl had fainted.

Their environment changed again.

Not that he particularly cared though in his opinion, anybody relying on an item for power isn't very powerful. If he were to compare himself to the Pharaoh, he would deem himself much more powerful but power didn't particularly interest him. He didn't actually tell her this. She, however, felt like she wanted to argue. She was taught all her life that the Pharaoh was the most powerful man in the world, able to use the powers of the Sennen Puzzle and summoning all three of the Egyptian Gods. He neglected to mention that if he was indeed so powerful, he wouldn't need six Priests to protect him. Displeasing her left an unsatisfying feeling in his stomach. Anybody else would've thought that all this talk of the Pharaoh meant she was in love with him. It was really just loyalty and admiration on her part, really. He knew, too. He thought it was amusing of this woman to talk everything that Egypt's savior did, even the assinine things he did.

As he sat underneath the burning sun, she was sitting right underneath some large boulders which provided shade for her. He just sat there without any complaints about how hot it was or whining about wanting water. They did this quite often whenever they get to; just sitting together while she talked quietly but loud enough for him to hear. He seldom replied whenever she was telling a story or was talking about the Pharaoh. Every word that she spoke, contrary to what she thinks, went in one ear and stayed in his head, her soft voice echoing in the chambers of his mind. He felt comforted whenever he heard her voice. This must be how human children felt when their mothers sung to them before drifting to sleep.

"Today he had fallen asleep on the throne," she said, gigging lightly behind her mouth as if laughing at the Pharaoh was an act of felony. He just stared forward with an impassive stare on his foreign-looking face. "Siamun whispered frantically to try to wake him up but instead of waking up, the Pharaoh snorted in his sleep."

He broke his gaze from the horizon, his eyes resting lazily on the tanned woman beside his legs. He got up and snatched her arm to look deeply into her eyes. "Why don't you talk instead of your true feelings? You are sad that he died. You knew about his fate yet you let him go. Secretly, you loved him yet it was no time for romance since the Thief King threatens the nation. You can't show your emotions in front of them but you can let go now." Her eyes widened at his accuracy. He let go of her arm, still looking deep into her eyes. Her lips trembled and she threw her arms around him. Her face buried itself into his chest, her salty tears staining his shirt. "Why? Why is fate so cruel?! I was content just to see him everyday but now I can only see him in battle when the Pharaoh summons him. He cannot be with me, kiss me or hold me. I never knew if he ever loved me; if he ever looked at me as more than just another friend." She sobbed, trembling slightly.

"He loved you very much. However to him, his loyalty to his leader came first, his affection for his apprentice, Mana came second and you came third." He said truthfully. Unlike like the holder of the Sennen Eye, he did not need to use an item to read one's mind. He only needed to think of the person and immediately knew of his/her secrets/thoughts. Her other thoughts and secrets were also known since he found himself thinking about her everyday. He felt a strange feeling when he had discovered that her mind was full of forlorn thoughts. That was too much for him as he'd only thought of humans to search for a potential victim.

He knew that she has nowhere else to go so he was the only comfort in her life now. He was so afraid. He had never been afraid of anything in his life. What could possibly be there to scare him? He was born on the same day as the Earth. He had seen everything that delves on this Earth; demons, monsters, humans, etc. The truth is that he didn't know where he came from or why he even exists. All he yearns for in life are souls to feed upon and virgin blood to quench his thirst. So why was he afraid? An unfamiliar feeling welled up in his body. He was so confused. Why was he feeling this way?

The scene changed yet again.

She backed away from him with fear in her eyes. There was a slow thumping feeling near his chest area. He reached out with his dark fingers. Why was she looking at him with such loathing and repulse? Suddenly, he wanted to howl up to the Heavens.

"Isis," he whispered.

"Please do not come any closer to me!" She pleaded, trembling. This alarmed him. "What are you?"

"I-I do not know."

"Are you a demon?"

"No, I am not."

"Are you a monster?"

He didn't answer, peering at her frightened eyes. She had caught him partaking of a soul from a human man who gladly offered it to him. Before she had always been curious as to why he never required water or food. The feeling of fear came back. She was going to leave him. He can read her thoughts. He'll never be able to hear her soft voice again. She'll never tell him anecdotes of life in the palace; he had been curious on why she laughed at certain things like why one of the Priests, Mahado had to find his apprentice who apparently hid in vases to avoid him.

He took a step towards her. She backed away, keeping her eyes on him. He advanced, reaching out a hand. _Please do not leave. _This was not proper for him. He was not human. He was not supposed to be a part of her world. She turned her back on him, running away. Her black hair flowed out behind her. Even if he reached out, he couldn't touch those dancing strands of hair. He did not wish to frighten her. That look in her sky blue eyes...They caused feelings that pushed him to the verge of becoming human. A lump formed inside his chest; it started to beat. He pressed his hand slowly on the spot. He could feel it jump against his skin, under his hand as if it wanted to get closer to his touch.

A being who was not human such as him was being punished for attempting to be human. A being like him should not form feelings for a human woman, yearn to hear her voice, want to run his hands through her hair. He was supposed to help humans in exchange for substenance, not love. He failed in his task. For that, he must be cursed with a beating heart to remind him for all of eternity.

"Monster! He's just a monster!" For some reason, those words pierced right through him like icicles. _Monster. Just a monster._ Monster? Like the monsters on the stone tablets with which anybody with a magical relic could control? Did they think that they could control a creature like him? Not even the Pharaoh could control him! He had made a grave mistake to grow attached to a human.

"I, a monster?" He hissed. A trace of anger welled inside up of him. He seldom got angry at any human for they always viewed him to be an earthbound god or a sort of genie. They pleaded with him to grant their wishes in exchange for their soul. Never, did they ever address him as a monster. From behind of one of the Priests, she stood staring at him with glistening eyes. He chose not to look through her mind because it would be too painful. Apparently, they, including her, regarded him as a monster with no feelings. She was the cause of this. She was the reason that the Pharaoh's protectors stood in front of him, ready to fight him. The trouble was that he had no desire to fight them. He didn't desire power like human beings. He dropped his eyes to the ground. They were feeling a bit itchy. The sun glared down at them though he didn't complain nor sweat.

A burning sensation coursed through his body. Suddenly, purplish flames engulfed his entire body. He didn't let out a yowl of pain or attempt to put out the flames. He just stood there right in front of a shocked group of Priests, a Priestess and royal soldiers. The flames were comforting to him, warming his current human body. His skin melted slowly, dripping like hot wax from a candle. Some of the soldiers retched at the revolting sight. Even some of the Priests winced at the sight but the Priestess had tears dripping down her face. Finally, the fire exploded, completely engulfing him. When the flames subsided, a woman stood in his place, dressed in a black dress, covering her arms and her feet. His hair had grown longer and turned into the color of crimson. His features were more softer, beautifully thin lips pressed together, his eyes were only a little bit bigger, his skin was milky white. His fingers were more slender. His now green eyes swept over the crowd in front of her before landing on her.

"Am I really a monster when the so-called powerful ones cannot control a creature like me?" Aine said in her now feminine voice. "Am I really a monster when I have not harmed a human like you humans have?"

_Isis. _Turning her back on them, she flew towards the white sun, her sleeves and skirt of her dress flowing.

"You fell in love," Anzu covered her mouth, gasping. "With Isis and then she-"

"Yes, she had betrayed me, accused me of being powerhungry. Your kind cannot be trusted."

A/N: I wrote this back in 2007 or 2008 but I didn't post it because I was gonna edit some parts. Now as I was re-reading old reviews, I just thought that I might as well upload this chapter since it appears like it's almost finished. I don't know if I'll be writing the ending though.


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